Glass handling machine



8 Sheets-Sheet l \Nmm WN S. F. GREIN ETlAL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed Oct 30', 1957 Feb. 1, 1944.

IP'IVENTORS Sy/vesfer/i Greg/r o'pefe 6'. Mag/Ml Feb; 1, 1944. s. F. GREIN EI'AL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 30, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 1, 1944. s. F. GREIN ETAL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 50, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 //Illlll| 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Feb. 1, 1944.

INVENTORS mHm 9H WWW M W2 5 e 5w mm 3% v Feb. 1, 1944. s. F. GRElN EI'AL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed Oct. 30, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 0 & N Q INVENTORS Feb. 1, 1944.

s. F. GREIN ETAL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Oct. 30, 193'? 1 r Egg-J43 l I I I L p 158' f I l Feb. 1, 1944. 5 GREIN EI-AL 2,340,807

GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed 001:. 30, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 lNVENTORS Sy/I Qsfer' E Gn/rg and pefe 6. Magr/n/ 'gag Feb. I, 1944. s. F. GREIN Ei'AL GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed 001;. 30, 1937 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 a i O mwa w $1M me P WM /7 Patented Feb. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GLASS HANDLING MACHINE Pennsylvania Original application October 30, 1937, Serial No. 171,860. Divided and this application January 26, 1942, Serial No. 428,161

6 Claims.

filed October 30, 1937, and now Patent No.

2,285,921, dated June 9, 1942.

c As set forth in said co-pending application, in accordance with our inventions we provide glass handling apparatus which is of such character as to receive the glass sheets while stacked in a substantially vertical position, unstack the sheets, label them individually or perform some other operation thereon as they are carried past a work station by conveying mechanism, restack the sheets, and at the same time place between the sheets a spacing material such as paper so that the sheets are in appropriate condition for packing. The apparatus which we provide is entirely automatic. The sheets are automatically fed to the conveying mechanism in timed relation with respect thereto. The labeling or other working mechanism is likewise automatically actuated in timed relation with respect to the conveyor. The same is true with respect to the stacking and interleaving mechanism.

The apparatus which we provide represents a substantial improvement over any of the prior art methods and apparatus for handling glass sheets. Our apparatus may be mounted on a single base structure and the operating parts are of such relatively simple character that the cost of production will be quite low. Nevertheless, the apparatus is positive in operation and will not get out of adjustment during normal use thereof. The handling of the glass is entirely mechanical and automatic from the time that the sheets are placed on the apparatus and consequently, the cost of labeling and handling the sheets is lower than where the presently known methods and apparatus are employed, because they involve considerable manual handling of the sheets.

In the accompanying drawings we have shown for purposes of illustration only the presently preferred embodiment of our invention. It will be understood, however, that'our invention may be otherwise practiced or embodied withinthe scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be appreciated that our invention is not limited to the labeling 'of glass sheets, as it may be employed in connection with the performance of various types of operations thereon. Moreover, it is not limited to the handling of glass sheets as it may be applied to the handling of various other materials when in sheet form.

In' the accompanying drawings we have shown our invention as applied to the labeling, stacking and separating of the glass sheets.

In the drawings,

Figurel is a side elevation of the machine provided by our invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional plan view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figures 3a and 3b comprise an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken along the line III-III of Figure 2, Figure 30. showing the left hand end of the apparatus and Figure 312 showing the right hand end of the apparatus;

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IVIV of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of Figure 2; s

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line VIVI of Figure 2;

Figure '7 is a view partly in section, partly in plan, of the labeling magazine and the mechanism for feeding and applying labels to the glass sheets, the section portion of this U being taken along the line VIIVII of Figure 3b;

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the conveying mechanism for handling the glass sheets and the labeling mechanism for applying the labels to the glass sheets; and

Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX of Figure 2.

In the structure shown on the drawings the glass sheets to be labeled are stacked on edge on a continuous belt |A. This belt is driven through mechanism to be described and the movement of this belt is synchronized with the movement of the belt B which is adapted to carry the glass sheets in a substantially horizontal position beneath the labeling mechanism. Apparatus-is provided for separating the leading glass sheet on the belt A from the remainin glass sheets in the stack and for causing the leading glass sheet to drop onto the belt or conveying mechanism B at the proper time so that operating mechanism carried by the belt B will function to operate the labeling and stacking mechanism at the proper time. Each glass sheet which is fed to the belt 13 is carried beneath the labeling apparatus and a small amount of water is deposited on theglass sheet at the proper point and a label thereafter placed on the wetted spot and pressed into adhesive engagement with the glass sheet. The glass sheet then continues along the belt B and is discharged therefrom onto a continuous belt C which is rotated at the same speed as the belt B. As the glass sheet passes over this belt and as the leading edge thereof moves beyond the belt C to the continuous belt D, trip mechanism is brought into play for actuating apparatus for the glass sheet and for cutting off the excess d paper. The paper sheets are placed between the glass sheets so as to prevent breakage of the glasssheets in the further handling or shipping thereof. The belt D is moved at a much slower rate of speed than the belts B and C, the belt D moving approximately the thickness of a glass sheet each time that a glass sheet is placed thereon in a vertical position.

It will be apparent that after a sufficient number of glass sheets have been placed onthe belt D- by the stacking mechanism these sheets may be removed therefrom andboxed for shipment or the glass sheets may be packed while still on the belt D; that is, the glass sheets having been provided with spacing papers and being located on the belt in a vertical position, it is only necessary for the packer to place an appropriate packing box on the stack of glass sheets and then to place the top on the box and the glass sheets are then ready for shipment.

It will be apparent that the machine which we provide will only satisfactorily label a relatively small number of sizes of glass sheets for any given setting thereof. However, the machine which we provide is of such character that it may be readily adjusted to permit the handling and labeling of a substantial number of different sizes of sheets. I

In the structure shown in the drawings the four conveyor belts A, B, C and D, are mounted on a main frame or bed 2. These belts are mounted on rollers which are suitably journaled in'bearings inthe frame and having take-up bearings or boxes for tensioning the belts. The loading belt A and the delivery or stacker belt D are moved intermittently, whereas the labeling beltB and the transfer belt C are driven continuously and at the same rates of speed. A single drive may be provided for the conveyor belt. As shown in the drawings, the driving of the belts is effected by a motor 3 Operating through a gear reducer 4, sprocket wheels 5 and 6 and a chain 1. The sprocket wheel 6 is mounted on the shaft 8 of the roller 9 about which the belt B passes. The end of the shaft 8 opposite the end on which the sprocket wheel 6 is mounted is provided with a journal [0. Beyond the journal I0 the shaft is .provided with a disk I I having an adjustable wrist pin II which forms an eccentric or crank upon whichis journaled a pair of connecting rods [3 and M. The other end of the connecting rod l3 cooperates with pawl and ratchet mechanism for driving the roll of the loading belt A. The outer end of the connecting rod [4 is similarly connected with a pawl and ratchet mechanism carried on the shaft of the roll IQ of the delivery belt D. These pawl and ratchet structures are identical and comprise a crank arm ll which is journaled to turn on the roll shaft and which is connected to the connecting rod. The crank arm I! carries a pawl I8 which engages a ratchet wheel l9 which is fixed to the shaft of the roll. These ratchets are so disposed with respect to their shafts that movement of the eccentric is imparted to one of the rolls while the other remains stationary. This motion reverses for each half revolutionof the drive roll 9 of the label belt B so that upon rotation of the roller 9 through the ratchet mechanism for actuating the roller [5 of the loading belt A will be actuated a predetermined distance. During the next onehalf revolution ofthe roller 9 of the labeling belt B, the ratchet mechanism for the roller [6 will be brought into operation and the roller l6 moved a predetermined distance. The ratchet mechanism and other operating parts of the belts A and D are soarranged that-each actuation of the rollers I5 and it will move the belts A and Dre-- spectively, through a. distance amounting to the thicknessof the glass sheets being labeled.

As isapparentthe loading. belt A passes around the roller I5. It also passes around a roller 20 which is journaled in bearings 2|. These bearings are preferably of such character as to permit adjustment of thetension of the beltA. The top run of the belt A is supported between the rollers 15 and 20 on tablesZZ and rollers 23. The table 22 and the rollers 23 are provided for the purpose of forming asolid base for the beltfor supporting the sheets-which are to be delivered by the loading belt A tothe label belt B.

The label belt B is mounted on the rollers 9 and 24- and is provided with a supporting table 25 immediately beneath theupper run of the belt for the purpose of providing asatisfactory support for the glass sheets as they are carried beneath the labeling mechanism. The rollers 9 and 24 carry sprocket wheels 26. The sprocket wheels on each side of the belt are connected by sprocket chains 21 which are connected to the belt B for the purpose of providing a positive drive for the belt. The sprocket wheels and sprocket chains are desirable in order to preclude any possibility of slippage-between thebelt Band the rollers 9" and 24. Such slippage would preclude synchronization of the' operation of the various belts and the other mechanism to be described hereinafter.

The transfer'belt C'is' composed of a plurality of narrow belts disposed in spaced relation on rollers 28' and 29 which are mounted in bearings 30' and 3|, respectively, which are carried by the main frame. The roller 28 is driven continuously from the roller 9' through a belt 32 which cooperates with a pulley 33 on theshaft of the roller 28 and a pulley 34 on the shaft of the roller 9. The transfer belt'Cis for the purpose of moving the sheet against a stacker frame carried by the delivery belt D. The belt C is preferably made of rubber or is rubber-coated so as to provide sufficient friction between-the belt and the glass sheet carried thereby to insure that the glass sheet is brought against the stacker frame before being raised on edge to stacked position.

The delivery belt D passes around the driven roller l6 and around the roller 35 which is mounted in suitable bearings 36 carried by the main frame adjacent the roller 28 of the transfer belt. Tables 31 are provided beneath the upper run of the belt D for the purpose of rendering sun'- port thereto for supporting the glasssheets which are carried thereby. Rollers 38 are also provided between the tables for aiding in supporting the.

belt and for reducing friction.

The belt B adjacent one edge'thereof is provided with a plurality of trip members 39 and raised roller engaging portions 40 for actuating the delivery, labeling and stacking mechanisms to be specifically described.

At the loading or feeding end of the machine a plurality of glass sheets are placed on edge on the belt A against an alining rail 4|. The leading sheet S of the glass sheets placed on the belt A leans against stop members constituting part of the release mechanism about to be described. The alining rail 4! determines the position of the glass sheet transversely of the belt B and its position with respect to the labeling mechanism. The release mechanism against which the vertically disposed sheets of glass rest comprises a movable frame 42 having two upright standards 43. These standards 43 are connected adjacent their upper ends with a cross-piece 44 which is bolted to the standards through slots 45 therein. This cross-piece 44 is mounted in this way so as to permit vertical adjustment thereof.

The cross-piece 44 carries two stops against which the upper edge of the leading sheet of glass rests. One of the stops 4% is mounted for upward swinging so as to release the sheet and permit it to fall forward onto the label belt B. The other stop member 41 is a rubber roller and is adapted to hold the sheet until the sheet has been slid transversely of the machine from behind the roller by means of a separator plate 48. The leading sheet S is also supported at the bottom edge by means of stops 49 and 50. The stop 49 is fixed to and carried by the guide frame of the separator plate 48. The stop member 50 is carried on a shaft 52 mounted on the frame and is adapted to be swung downwardly upon upward movement of the stop member 46 for releasing the upper edge of the sheet S. Stops 45 and 50 are both actuated through linkage from a common shaft 53 journaled in bearings 54 on the cross-piece 44. The shaft 53 has a crank arm 55 fixed to it. This crank arm is connected by means of a link 56 to a crank arm 5'! which is fixed to a shaft 58 supported in a standard 59 from the bearing for the roller 24 of the label belt B. The link 56 is adjustable in length so as to permit the cross-piece 44 to be raised or lowered for the handling of various sizes of sheets. The shaft 58 is normally urged to move clockwise by a spring 55. The crank arm 51 has an olf-set portion or arm M which normally lies in the path of a trip lug 82 carried by the roller 24. The shaft 53 has fixed to it an arm 83 which is connected by a link 64 to the stop member 45.

Engagement of the lug e2 with the ofi-set portion 61 of the crank arm 5? causes thelatch or stop member 46 to raise so as to permit the leading glass sheet to drop forwardly onto the label belt B.- This is effected through the connections described above including the rotation of the shaft 53. This movement of the shaft 53 to raise the lug or stop member 4&5 also acts to depress the stop member 55. The linkage for accomplishing this comprises a crank arm 55 which is secured to the shaft 53, a link 56 which is connected to the crank arm 65 at its one end and to a crank armydl at its other end, the crank arm 61 being secured to the shaft 52. The link 68 is connected to the crank arm.65. by two pivotal one of the standards 43.

connections indicated by the reference character 68. This double pivotal connection permits the link 65 to move over when the guide rail 4| moved to one side of its normal position to permit edge labeling. The shaft 52 carrying the arm 61 is journaled in a bearing carried by the adjustable guide rail. As pointed out above, the release mechanism is actuated in one direction by the trip 62 carried by the roll 24. It is actuated in the reverse direction by means of a spring 69 which is connected with the shaft 53 and rotates the shaft 53 in the reverse direction to return the sheet holding members 46 and 50 to holding position.

The shaft 53 also has ailixed to it an arm 10 having a rubber pad or face member ll on one end thereof. This arm is preferably of resilient spring metal and its purpose is to push the leading sheet of glass forward toward the label belt B upon actuation of the shaft 53. This causes the glass to fall upon the belt B at the proper time. The glass is stacked on the loading belt at a slight angle to the vertical but if the starter arm is not utilized the leading glass sheet may not fall onto the belt promptly upon the actuation of the release mechanism and if this does not occur the glass sheet will not be properly located on the belt so as to permit proper actuation of the labeling and stacking mechanism with respect to the position of the glass sheet.

In order to permit the delivery of only one sheet of glass to the label belt at a time it is necessary to provide separating mechanism for separating the leading glass sheet from the remaining glass sheets in the stack on the loading belt A. This is accomplished by a separator plate 48 which moves the leading sheet from behind the stop members 4'! and 49. This separator plate is mounted for sliding movement in the guide frame 5|. The lead edge 12 engages the edge of the leading sheet of the stack of glass sheets on the loading belt A and moves this sheet transversely of the stack of glass sheets a sufiicient distance to permit it to fall forwardly past the stops 4'! and 49 upon actuation of the stops 46 and 5B. Actuation of the plate 48 causes the leading sheet S to move to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 and marked S. A rubber stop 13 is carried by the rail 41 for limiting the transverse movement of the leading glass sheet.

The separator plate 48 is connected by means of a link 74 to a lever I5 which is pivotally mounted at 76 to the separator guide plate. A bell crank ll is mounted ona bracket 78 carried by One arm of the bell crank T! is connected with an extensible link 19 which is connected at the other end thereof to the lever T5. The other arm of the bell crank is connected to the upper end of a link 89. The link 80 is likewise extensible so as to permit ver tical adjustment of the mechanism. The other end of the extensible link 80 is connected to a bell crank 81 which is loosely mounted on the shaft 58. The bell crank BI is provided with an offset trip arm 82 which is adapted to cooperate with the trip lug 62 carried by the roller 24.

A spring 83 normally maintains the separator in retracted position.

In operation, rotation of the roller 24 causes the lug 62 to contact the offset arm 82 of the crank 8i and by reason of the linkage just described to move the separator plate 48 to the left asshown in Figure 4. This moves the leading sheet of glass to the position indicated by the reference character. S. Immediately thereafter,

and upon continued rotation of the roller 24, the mg 62 comes in contact with the arm 8| which operates the release mechanism described above so that a glass sheet is deposited on the belt B.

- As the glass sheet which has been deposited upon the label belt B is carried forwardly it passes beneath the labeling mechanism indicated generally by the reference character 84. The label magazine is a box-like structure 85 having side walls 86 and a bottom 81. The labels indicated at 89 are placed in the box as' shown and abut against stops. At the other end of the pack of labels in the box there is a follower 99 which is normally drawn forward against the pack of labels by a weight 9| which is suspended above the label box on a bracket 92 and which is connected to the follower 99 by a cable 93 which passes about pulleys 94. The weight 9| acts to keep the labels compacted and to pull them forwardly against the stop members 89.

At the forward end of the magazine, separator and feed mechanism is provided for separating and feeding downwardly onto the glass a single label at any one time. This mechanism is intermittently operable as the glass sheets pass beneath the magazine.

The separator comprises a rubber headed wiper arm 95 which is secured to a shaft 95 journaled in the side walls of the magazine. This shaft extends beyond the magazine and at its outer end is provided with a trip finger which lies in the path of movement of the trip members 39 carried by the label belt B. Engagement of the trip member 39 with the finger Bl causes the wiper arm 96 to swing down and, through the contact of its rubber head with the leading label, will carry down a label into the bite of a .pair of rolls 99 and 99. The roll 99 is driven through a roller I99 which is secured to the shaft IOI. The roller I90 is positioned in the path of the raised pads 49 carried on the edge of the label belt. As the label belt moves forwardly a pad 49 will come in contact with the roller I09 and cause rotation of the roll 99 to feed a label downwardly onto a passing glass sheet. .As the label is fed by the rolls it is directed forwardly by a guide member I02. When it is free of the guide member it falls upon a spot on the glass sheet which has previously been wetted by wetting mechanism to be described and as the glass sheet with the label thereon continues forwardly a roller I93 which is suspended from the brackets I94 carried by the label magazine causes the label to be forced into intimate-contact with the glass sheet and to adhere thereto.

Before the glass sheet passes beneath the'label magazine it passes beneath a water container I05. The water container I95'is mounteclon a slide I99 which is provided with a projection I01. This projection I! is positioned to be engaged by a cam I08 carriedby a shaft I99. This shaft carries an arm IIO which is so positioned that it will be engaged by a trip member 39 as it passes thereby.

The trip member actuates the arm III} and through the mechanism just described thewater container which is provided with a wick III is moved downwardly so that the wick is brought into contact with the glass and: will deposit sufficient moisture on the glass for the wettingbf the label when it is subsequently placed thereon.

After the label has beenplaced on the glass sheet th glass sheet continuesin-itsmovement past the labeling mechanism and is'deposit'edon the transfer belt C. As stated above, thistransfer belt is formed of aplurality of spaced belts. This spacing is provided so as to permit the movement of the glass sheets from a horizontal position to a vertical position on the stacker or delivery belt D by means of arms positioned below the conveyor. The elevation of the glass sheets from the horizontal position on the transfer belt to a vertical position on the stacker or delivery belt is accomplished by transfer arms 2, The arms II2 are provided with rubber covered contact ends I-I3 which are adapted to engage the glass sheets. These arms are rocked upwardly through a linkage connection by the trippers 39 carried by the label belt B. The arms II2 are fixed to a shaft II4 which is journaled in suitable bearings. The shaft has a crank arm II5 secured thereto. One end of the crank arm H5 is pivotally connected with a link IIS and the other end of the link H9 is connected by a link II'I to a shaft H8. This shaft H8 is provided with a trip arm H9 which is located in the path of the tripper 39. As the tripper 39 engages the trip member II9 the shaft H8 is rocked and through the linkage just described the shaft H4 is rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3b andthe arms I I2 raise the glass sheet on the transfer belt C to a vertical p osition on the delivery or stacking belt D. The operation of the various belts is so synchronized that when the tripper 39 engages the trip member a glass sheet has reached the transfer mechanism and the leading edgethereof has come in contact with the stacker frame carried by the delivery belt. I

As stated above the delivery belt D carries a stacker frame I20 which consists of an angle I2I having a horizontal leg portion which is bent at one end into the form-of a jaw or hook to hook around the edge of the belt D as indicated at I22. The other end of the angle is provided with a movable clamping jaw I23 which is piv-v oted to the angle and which is adapted to clamp the opposite edge of the belt D. The clamp I23 is normally held in clamping contact with the' belt by means of a spring IZEI In this manner the angle is secured to the belt against movement thereof. The angle IZl has secured to it an upright frame which consists of Vertical and cross-pieces I2 5 and a brace member I26 which rests upon the belt'D. This stacker frame maintains the glass sheets in a substantially vertical position after they are moved to this position by the transfer arm's H 2.

As-eacli sheet of glass is elevated to vertical position 'a'gaihst the stacker frame I20 a strip of paper is unwound from a roll of paper I21, and 'i's" fed down in" front of the sheet. The nektsiic'ceedingsl'ieetisthen'brought up against the "spacing" paper.

The paper between the two sheets is cut off close to the top edgeof the sheet by a shear indicated generally by the reference character I28". Thesh'e'ar mechanism isactuated'thr'ough linkage which is'a'dap'ted to engage the tripper 39on the lower run of the belt B and this linkage is adapted to be actuated immediately after the' actuation of the stacker mechanism. The shear consists of three thin strips of steel I29, I39 an'd" I3I- forming the knives of the shear. T-hese strips are carried on a cross rail I32 which is secured to the frame of the machine. The cross rail also carries a paper guide I33. The intermediate strip is the shear knife proper and it is moved between the two outer strips; The three sections forming the shear are clamped together by spring clamps I34 and one of the spring clamps forms the pivotal mounting for the movable knife blade. The other end of the knife blade is connected by a link I35 to a crank arm I36 secured to a shaft I31. The shaft I3! is journaled in bearings I38 and I39. A spring I40 is connected to an arm I4I fixed to the shaft I37 which normally holds the shear blade in inoperative position. The shaft I31 carries a crank arm I42 which is connected by a link I43 to a link I44 fixed to a shaft I45. The shaft I45 has fixed thereto a trip member I48 which is positioned in the path of the tripper 39 carried by the label belt B. As the tripper 39 contacts the trip member ME through the mechanism just described the shear is actuated and the paper sheared off adjacent the upper edges of the glass sheets.

The feeding of the paper to the glass sheets is accomplished through gearing actuated through connections to the drive roll of the label beltl-B. The roll of paper is supported on a shaft Id! which is supported on standards I48 mounted on the frame work indicated generally by the reference character I49. The shaft I41 is sufficiently long and the standards I48 spaced sufficiently far apart to permit the use of rolls of paper of varying width so as to permit the use of sheets of paper sufficiently wide to take care of difierent sizes of glass sheets.

The paper is drawn from the roll I2! by means of feed rolls I59 which are journaled in bearings I 5i carried by the frame I49. One of the feed rolls I59 is driven by a pinion I52 which is mounted on the outer end of the shaft I53 of the roll. This pinion I52 meshes with a gear I54 which is carried by a shaft I55 mounted on the frame I49. A ratchet wheel I55 is secured to the shaft I55 and this ratchet wheel is operated by a pawl I51 carried by a crank arm I58 which is loosely mounted on the shaft I55. The other end of the crank arm IE3 is connected to an adjustable link I59. The adjustable link or pitman I59 is connected to a crank arm I39 on the shaft of the roller 9. The crank arm I69 is slotted to receive the pivotal connection of the pitman whereby the length of throw of the crank arm I59 may be varied. As will be readily understood, rotation of the shaft of the roller 9 will cause the mechanism just described to feed the paper downwardly during one-half a revolution of said shaft and the pawl I5! will slide over the ratchet I55 during the continued rotation of the shaft of the roller 9.

The apparatus described above is of such character as to permit the handling of sheets of various sizes within certain limits. As shown in the drawings the machine is set for labeling sheets 8" x 10'', the labels being placed on the glass sheets about two inches in from the right hand edge of the sheet. In some instances, however, it may be desirable to place the label in the corner at the extreme right hand edge of the sheet. In order accomplish this it would be necessary to shift the guide rail which alines the sheets on the feed table. By moving the guide rail the sheets will be positioned so that the right hand edges thereof will be directly in line with the edge of the label. When the guide rail is moved in this manner it is necessary to move the sheet separator and guide plate and sheet stops a distance corresponding to the distance the rail has been moved. As pointed out above and as shown in the drawings, these adjustments can readily be efiected.

Additional adjustments must be effected in order to permit the labeling of sheets of larger sizes. Assuming that the machine has been set for labeling 8" x 10" sheets and it is desired to label 12" x 14" sheets, it will be necessary-to move 01' raise the cross rail which carries the release linkage to permit the larger sheets to pass under it. Also this rail and the standards on which it is carried are moved back on the bed or frame of the machine so that upon the releasing of the sheet it will fall upon the conveyor belt in such a position that its lead end will occupy the same relative position on the belt with respect to the trip mechanism as the lead edge of th smaller sheets of glass. In addition to these adjustments it is necessary to effect vertical adjustment of the shear mechanism at the stacker end of the machine. In addition to these adjustments, provision is made for moving the mechanism for feeding the glass sheets to the labeling belt B toward or away from the labeling belt. The entire frame 53 and the parts carried thereby are adjustable. This adjustment is effected by means of a shaft I55 which carries 'a pinion I66 which cooperates with a rack I61 carried by the base portion of the frame 43. The shaft I65 is suitably mounted in bearings carried by the main frame 2 and one end extends therethrough and is adapted to receive a crank by means of which the shaft may be rotated. The crank end of the shaft is squared as indicated at IE8. All of the connecting arms are made adjustable in the manner pointed out heretofore so as to permit the machine to be maintained in synchronism in any adjusted position.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of conveying mechanism for conveying relatively fiat articles, means for driving the conveying mechanism, a transfer belt cooperating with one end of said conveying mechanism, a stacking belt adjacent one end of said transfer belt, said stacking belt being provided with a support, stacking mechanism for moving articles from said transfer belt to said stacking belt and rotating said articles through an angle of substantially means for actuating said stacking belt and said stacking mechanism in timed relation with said conveying mechanism, and means actuated by said conveying mechanism for placing a sheet of separating material between adjacent stacked articles.

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of conveying mechanism for conveying relatively flat articles, means for driving the conveying mechanism, a transfer belt cooperating with one end of said conveying mechanism, a stacking belt adjacent one end of said transfer belt, said stacking belt being provided with a support, stacking mechanism for moving articles from said transfer belt to said stacking belt and rotating said articles through an angle of substantially 90, means for actuating said stacking belt and said stacking mechanism in timed relation with said conveying mechanism, and means actuated by said conveying mechanism for placing a sheet of separating material between adjacent stacked articles, said spacing material feeding mechanism including shear mechanism actuated by said conveying mechanism and in synchronism therewith.

3. In apparatus of the character described, conveying mechanism for conveying sheets in horizontal position, means for driving th conveying mechanism, means adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor for supporting said articles on edge, stacking mechanism intermittently actuated in timed relation with the conveyor for moving the articles from fiat position to edge position on said supporting means, and means for supplying a spacing material between each of the stacked sheets, said last-mentioned means being intermittently actuated in timed relation with said conveyor and including a pitman, a feeder and connections for intermittently transmitting motion from said pitman to said feeder.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a continuous conveyor for transporting sheets in flat position, means for driving said conveyor, means adjacent the discharge end of the con veyor for supporting said sheets on edge, stacking mechanism intermittently actuated in timed relation with said conveyor for moving sheets from fiat position on said conveyor to edge position on the supporting means, said stacking mechanism including a lever actuated by the conveying mechanism, a reciprocable arm and connections between said lever and the reciprocable arm, and means intermittently actuated in timed relation with the conveyor for feeding a spacing material between the stacked sheets.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a continuous conveyor for transporting sheets in flat position, means for driving said conveyor, means adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor for supporting said sheets on edge, stacking mechanism intermittently actuated in timed relation with said conveyor for moving sheets from flat position on said conveyor to edge position on the supporting means, said stacking mechanism including a lever actuated by the conveying mechanism, a reciprocable arm and connections between said lever and the reciprocable arm, and means intermittently actuated in timed relation with the conveyor for feeding a spacing material between the stacked sheets, said spacing material feeding means including a pitman continuously actuated by vthe conveying mechanism, a shaft intermittently actuated by the pitrnan and means cooperating with the shaft for feeding the spacing material to a position between the sheets.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a continuous conveyor for transporting sheets in fiat position, means for driving the conveyor, supporting means adjacent the discharge end of the conveyor for supporting said sheets on edge, stacking mechanism intermittently actuated in timed relation with the conveying mechanism for moving the sheets from fiat position on said conveyor to edge position on. said supporting means, spacing material feeding mechanism intermittently actuated by and in timed relation with said conveying mechanism for supplying a spacing material between the stacked sheets, said spacing material feeding mechanism being operatively connected with said conveying mechanism, and a shear intermittently actuated by and in timed relation with said conveying mechanism for shearing the spacing material fed to between said stacked sheets.

SYLVES'IER F. GREIN. PETE G. MAGRINI. 

